1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods and apparatus for the secure activation of a pre-paid telephone card and cooperative marketing of telephone usage authorization and other goods and/or services such as lottery services. Disposable telephone cards (phone cards) carrying pre-paid usage authorization credits and a personal identification number (PIN) for making telephone calls from public, business or residential telephones, are securely activated and/or related to the issuance and validation of lottery chances, especially for state sponsored lotteries that are operated independently of the phone system. The invention provides a method for secure activation of a pre-paid telephone card, cooperative promotion of telephone services by a telephone service provider as well as promoting sale of goods and/or services such as promotional lottery tickets associated with a lottery game or a credit towards the purchase of a lottery ticket associated with a lottery game by a lottery service provider.
The telephone card has a personal identification number (PIN) and an ID Code (i.e., machine readable and/or human readable indicia) both of which can be covered by a removable opaque coating. In a preferred embodiment the ID Code is a numeric or alpha numeric code imprinted on the surface of the telephone card. In another embodiment the ID Code is imprinted as a machine readable data carrying indicia such as a bar code or magnetic strip. The ID Code is used to initially activate the phone card and/or link the phone card to goods and/or services including lottery tickets for a lottery game such as a state run Pick-4, Pick-6, instant win ticket or similar games. Users purchase the pre-paid phone card for a fixed fee which entitles the user to a set amount of phone service (e.g., long distance calling time) and a promotional lottery ticket or at least a credit towards the purchase of a lottery ticket associated with a lottery game (a discount in the price of the lottery ticket). The promotional lottery ticket is printed or generated in a secure fashion via lottery agent terminals that normally operate independently for issuing and validating tickets via communications with a lottery computer system. The phone card is also activated using the ID Code in a secure fashion via the lottery agent terminals via communications with a telephone service provider.
2. Prior Art
Pre-paid telephone cards are currently available as a means to carry credits to place and concurrently pay for telephone calls from public, business or residential telephones. In general, a pre-paid phone card has a substrate such as paper, paperboard or plastic imprinted with indicia such as a pre-printed personal identification number (PIN) which can be covered by a removable opaque coating. A pre-paid phone card user purchases the phone card either directly or indirectly from a telephone service provider for a fixed amount of money such as $10.00. The telephone service provider maintains a central computer system which correlates the pre-printed PIN and the cash value or a fixed time usage value associated with the phone card and monitors usage of the card. As the phone card is used, the remaining value of the phone card is automatically debited by the central computer and/or by adjusting a representation of value on the card, until the cash value associated with the card is exhausted. In the alternative the phone card can be issued for a fixed number of minutes of long distance service, which are likewise debited as the card is used. The telephone service provider who issues the card in turn accounts for long distance service charges by making payments to long distance telephone companies such as AT&T, MCI and SPRINT in providing telephone service to the user. The particular long distance telephone carrier used normally is not relevant and is not disclosed to the user.
Usually, the card issuing telephone service provider maintains a toll free number and associated telephone equipment such as a private branch exchange (PBX) which is serviced or answered by an automated telephone answering system in data communication with a central computer. The pre-paid phone card is imprinted with the toll free number and instructions for users to follow in order to place calls in association with the phone card. Users are generally instructed to call the toll free number to initiate a call. The automated telephone answering system answers calls to the toll free number, provides audio instructions to the user prompting the user for telephone keypad input (touch tones) representing the PIN and the telephone number they wish to reach (called party number). The automated telephone answering system and/or central computer verify the PIN and the current cash or time value associated with the phone card, and assuming the card is valid and has a sufficient cash or time value, automatically dials the called party number thereby placing the telephone call for the user.
Telephone cards as described can be issued directly by the telephone service provider, or the provider can contract for its cards to be issued by others. Sales promotions, for example, can involve the printing of phone cards bearing trademarks of a product supplier to be given away to customers. Employers can obtain phone cards for the use of employees, etc.
In some cases, the user must first initialize an account prior to first using the phone card. Users are generally instructed to first call the toll free number in order to provide a user selected personal identification number (User PIN) to be uniquely associated with the phone card. The automated telephone answering system answers calls to the toll free number, provides audio instructions to the user and receives telephone key pad input from the user for entry of the User PIN. The automated telephone answering system and/or central computer system utilizes the User PIN and the pre-printed PIN to verify subsequent secure usage of the phone card prior to placement of a call.
A particular problem with current pre-paid phone cards is that the cards are either activated at the time of printing. That is, the cards are imprinted with all necessary information for initialization of an account. Therefore, pre-paid phone cards consistent with the prior art must be treated with the same security as cash, postage stamps, bearer bonds or the like. If newly printed cards are lost or stolen, they can be used by anyone who possesses them. Thus, the account initialization process set out above essentially protects against use of a previously initialized phone card and/or re-activation of an old phone card, as opposed to secure activation of new cards.
For lottery systems, various types of gaming forms are used. The structure of the gaming form depends on the type of lottery game associated with the form. Instant win games having "scratch off" coatings over game indicia are commonly available. The most common scratch off gaming form substrate is a lamination of paper stock and metallic foil or opaque paper so that the substrate is secure against candling or the like that might reveal game indicia. The game indicia is covered with an opaque or pigmented soft latex over a varnish release layer. The coating is removable by scratching with a coin or finger nail. By removing an opaque scratch off coating, concealed game information is revealed, or by removing a pigmented clear layer, selected game information can be marked, in each case to determine whether or not the game form is a winner.
Pre-paid phone cards are known with an associated scratch off instant win type of game printed on the phone card substrate. Such pre-paid phone cards may have a substrate carrying an identification number and may have indicia covered by a removable opaque coating for playing an instant win type of game. For example, the instant win game could be a scratch off game in which the user removes the opaque coating revealing six dollar prize amounts. A match of three identical dollar amounts is a winning ticket valued at the dollar amount. Such games are issued by the phone card issuer where regulations permit, and prizes are paid out by the phone card issuer. Due to regulations against gambling, a win in such a game may be limited, for example, to payment in kind (i.e., additional phone services) or to payment by delivery of a product. Additional sometimes onerous regulations apply in many jurisdictions.
Instant win games are limited in scope and prize value, and represent a smaller market share of total lottery ticket sales as compared to higher security games in which chances are issued via communications with a central lottery computer and the issue of a validated ticket that can be documented later if the ticket is presented as a winner. It would be advantageous to improve the methods and apparatus that allow a pre-paid telephone card to include a promotional game such that a more substantial gaming aspect can be included. According to the present invention, a phone card is used as a linking means permitting the card holder to enter a government-regulated state run lottery contest.
It would normally not be practical to issue telephone cards with associated lottery tickets applicable to a lottery game operated independently of the phone service provider, such as the Pick 4, Pick 6 or instant win game of a state sponsored lottery. A primary difficulty involves the manner in which the user or player selects lottery play entry numbers. Lottery service providers are hesitant to participate in selection of player entry numbers or winning lottery numbers, for security reasons, although assistance in play selections using randomized computer algorithms may be available on many lottery computer systems that dispense entries via agent terminal systems. Pre-printed phone cards having associated lottery tickets or player entry numbers would require the selection of lottery numbers in advance, and could expose the operation to potential breaches of security. This fact favors limiting promotions to small prizes (as with scratch off games) and reduces the potential extent of promotions.
It would be advantageous to provide a method for cooperatively promoting the sale of telephone usage services by a telephone service provider and goods and/or services such as a lottery ticket or a credit towards the purchase of a lottery ticket associated with a lottery game by a lottery service provider, that is secure and does not require assignment of player entry numbers in advance. It would also be advantageous to provide a method for secure activation of pre-paid telephone cards so that pre-printed cards cannot be activated if they are lost or stolen. It would also be desirable to utilize the existing infrastructure of state sponsored lotteries such as their agent terminals and central lottery computer systems for activation and tracking of functions, verification of lottery ticket issuance and redemption of lottery winnings subject to the security and regulation that makes large lotteries possible. Such a system would promote player interest and the provision of both phone and lottery system usage.